McPhy Energy has announced that the company has signed a contract with the Enel Group, Italy for the supply of a solid hydrogen storage solution. The system has a capacity of 2 kilograms of solid hydrogen, stored in the form of magnesium hydrides (which do not require compression), offering an innovative solution for safe, reversible hydrogen storage, with energy efficiency.

A prototype of the system design was validated through a series of tests at the CEA-LITEN (the French national Laboratory of Innovation for New Energy Technologies and Nanomaterials in Grenoble, France). The test tank was coupled to an electrolyser and to a fuel cell, successfully demonstrating the storage of renewable energy.

Enel will integrate McPhy’s solution in a full, innovative technology framework, which includes wind and solar technologies, as well as hydrogen production and storage. McPhy’s storage system will be located at Enel’s research center in Livorno. The project will be led by a group of researchers from the Enel Research Center of Pisa.

EU Member States approve billion euro budget for CCS projects.EU Member State experts on February 2 approved a proposal on how to use 300 million emission allowances from the EU Emission Ttrading Systems ‘new entrants reserve’ to finance projects in renewables and CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage). The final adoption of the decision, expected in May, will see billions in EU funding allocated to the development of clean technologies. The European Commission will dedicate 300 million allowances at European level, which will be sold by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and then distributed to support projects in Member States. however Member States rejected a proposal to match every euro taken from EU funds, expressing concerns of member states of Central and Eastern Europe. Member States also introduced more flexibility to the allocation process by allowing each country to host a maximum of three projects instead of the Commission’s proposed two. In any case, each country is entitled to at least one project.
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Solvay will build a very large fuel cell at SolVin’s Antwerp plantSolvay announces today it will invest over EUR 5 million in the construction of a test fuel cell with a total electric power of 1 megawatt (MW) at the SolVin plant in Lillo, Antwerp, Belgium. The investment is part of the Project Hydrogen Region Flanders – South Netherlands. The fuel cell will convert hydrogen produced by electrolysis at SolVin’s plant into electricity and by doing so increase the energy efficiency of the electrolysis.
This Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell will demonstrate fuel cell technology can be scaled-up to a peak output of 1.7 MW and a generation of 1 MW at steady rate, by using Solvay’s innovative special polymers and SolviCore’s membrane electrode assemblies. The test fuel cell will also be used by WaterstofNet vzw for research and test programs to support and promote the development of the use of hydrogen in the region.
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Air Products receives Rushlight Hydrogen and Fuel Cell AwardAir Products has been awarded the prestigious Rushlight Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Industry Award for its innovative Series 100 Hydrogen Fueling Station technology. The technology, which is helping break down barriers to the development of the hydrogen economy, clearly fit the Award’s aims of promoting and celebrating leading environmental technologies in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland.
The Air Products Series 100 Hydrogen Fueling Station has been an important enabler in changing industry and consumer perception in the UK as to the validity and safety of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier. The Rushlight Award acknowledges the success of this fully integrated fueling station in meeting the needs of hydrogen fueling test and demonstration programs. The Series 100’s features include simple operation for hydrogen compression, storage and dispensing, a small footprint, quick installation and ease of relocation. Details on Air Products’ hydrogen fueling station technologies are provided at the Air Products website.
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